According to an April poll from Pew Research, 81 percent of Republicans identify as Christian, compared to just 54 percent of Democrats. Despite the Republican Party's long-standing dominance among evangelical voters, some voices within the movement are now urging their peers to support Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris over former President Donald Trump. Democrats are attempting to exploit a vulnerability within the Republican Party driven by voters who lean right but vehemently reject Trump due to what they see as his moral failings. Earlier this year, former Vice President Mike Pence identified the “erosion of support among evangelicals” as one of Trump’s greatest vulnerabilities in this election cycle. Democrats now hope to capitalize on voters considering a shift. On Aug. 14, Jerushah Duford, granddaughter of the late Rev. Billy Graham, endorsed Harris during a Zoom event titled “Evangelicals for Harris.” During the event, Duford suggested that Christians who support Trump are alienating others from the faith. "I was thinking this morning that if you had told me 10 years ago I would be taking an active role in politics, I'd have laughed. But then I had to stop and realize this is so much more than politics," Duford said. "In 2016, when a man bragged about assaulting women, various leaders of my faith then propped up this man as a poster boy for godly manhood and leadership," she continued. "This broke my heart as I have watched — quite frankly, for the last eight years — people who were curious about Jesus and His teachings [have] done a 180 and walked in the other direction from my faith." Duford quoted several scriptures that she believes support her view that evangelicals should not support the former president. She was joined by biblical commentator Matthew Henry, who offered similar remarks, using scripture to justify abandoning Trump. During the call, the group played a clip of Graham that other family members say was used misleadingly. Duford’s uncle, Franklin Graham, criticized “Evangelicals for Harris” for taking the clip of his father out of context. "The liberals are using anything and everything they can to promote candidate Harris," Graham wrote in a post on X. "They even developed a political ad trying to use my father [Billy Graham's] image. They are trying to mislead people. Maybe they don’t know that my father appreciated the conservative values and policies of President [Trump] in 2016, and if he were alive today, my father’s views and opinions would not have changed."With less than three months until Election Day, the Christian voting bloc is emerging as a key demographic courted by both political parties.
The liberals are using anything and everything they can to promote candidate Harris. They even developed a political ad trying to use my father @BillyGraham’s image. They are trying to mislead people. Maybe they don’t know that my father appreciated the conservative values and… pic.twitter.com/LZe3SEm9Al This week, other prominent conservatives urged evangelicals to support Trump, arguing that there is a moral obligation to do so. “It is very simple. Every American who considers himself conservative or Christian, has a moral obligation to vote against Kamala Harris,” said conservative commentator Matt Walsh. “This is a bad person and she's part of a regime, more importantly, that has very bad, very evil designs for this country. She wants to kill babies, okay? Up to the moment of birth. That's what these people believe in fully born infants,” he continued. Walsh listed an array of Democratic priorities he believes conflict with long-held Christian values, including indoctrinating children into “self-harm and confusion” (a reference to transgender issues) and releasing violent criminals onto American streets. Walsh stated that this election is not about whether voters like Trump, but about what he believes stands to be lost if Harris is able to secure the presidency. He added:
— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) August 14, 2024
This is not about being loyal to Donald Trump or any other politician. Politicians don't deserve our loyalty. I don't care about that. This is about loving your country, loving your country enough, and caring enough about your children and their future to put your feelings about Donald Trump to the side and cast a vote against this regime that has already done incredible harm to this country. Every Christian needs to listen to this. Matt Walsh nails it.
You have a moral obligation to vote against this regime. As a Christian you must vote against Kamala Harris. Period. pic.twitter.com/D1x1G7Uwt2
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) August 15, 2024
